-
1.
Coenzyme Q10 supplementation in burn patients: a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial.
Kiani, Z, Khorsand, N, Beigi, F, Askari, G, Sharma, M, Bagherniya, M
Trials. 2024;(1):160
Abstract
BACKGROUND Burn injuries are important medical problems that, aside from skin damage, cause a systemic response including inflammation, oxidative stress, endocrine disorders, immune response, and hypermetabolic and catabolic responses which affect all the organs in the body. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress, and clinical outcomes in burn patients. METHODS In a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial, 60 burn patients were randomly assigned to receive 100 mg CoQ10 three times a day (total 300 mg/day) or a placebo for 10 days. Inflammatory markers including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), oxidative stress markers including total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, white blood cells (WBC), and body temperature were assessed as primary outcomes and albumin, prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), international normalized ratio (INR), other hematological parameters, blood pressure, O2 saturation, ICU duration, and 28-mortality rate were assessed as secondary outcomes. RESULTS Fifty-two participants completed the trial. CRP and ESR levels were not significantly different between CoQ10 and placebo groups at the end of the study (P = 0.550 and P = 0.306, respectively). No significant differences between groups were observed for TAC (P = 0.865), MDA (P = 0.692), and SOD activity (P = 0.633) as well. Administration of CoQ10 resulted in a significant increase in albumin levels compared to placebo (P = 0.031). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in other measured outcomes (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Results showed that in patients with burn injury, CoQ10 administration had no effect on inflammatory markers and oxidative stress, although serum albumin levels were improved after supplementation. Further studies with albumin as the primary outcome are needed to confirm this finding.
-
2.
Therapeutic effects of saffron and its components on neurodegenerative diseases.
Hamedani, SG, Pourmasoumi, M, Zarifi, SH, Askari, G, Jamialahmadi, T, Bagherniya, M, Sahebkar, A
Heliyon. 2024;(2):e24334
Abstract
Due to an increase in the number of older people in recent years, neurodegenerative diseases as the most important age-related neurological disorders are considered as a great threat to human health. The treatment strategies for these disorders are symptomatic and there is no known definitive treatment; however, recently, several studies have investigated the effectiveness of some herbs and their components in limiting the progression and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, we searched Medline (via PubMed), Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases. The keywords used in the search were: saffron [title/abstract] or (saffron compound [title/abstract]) and (neurological disorders [title/abstract]), publication date range (2010-2023), and language (English). After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 30 articles remained. Of the 30 articles included in the study, six studies on the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders by saffron and its components were in the clinical trial phase, and 24 studies were in the preclinical phase. Saffron and its compounds can play an important role in inhibiting neuroinflammation and excitotoxic pathways, modulating autophagy and apoptosis, attenuating oxidative damage, and activating defensive antioxidant enzymes, resulting in neuroprotection against neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to review the studies on the effects of saffron and its compounds on the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
-
3.
Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Lipid Profile and Body Composition in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A GRADE-Assessed Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-analysis.
Khajeh, M, Hassanizadeh, S, Pourteymour Fard Tabrizi, F, Hassanizadeh, R, Vajdi, M, Askari, G
Biological trace element research. 2024
Abstract
The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is to investigate the overall effects of zinc supplementation on lipid profile and body composition such as body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Embase databases were searched from inception through October, 2023. The I2 and Cochran's Q tests were used to assess heterogeneity between studies. Nineteen RCTs (n = 1357 participants) were included in the meta-analysis. Zinc supplementation significantly reduced TG (WMD = - 17.41 mg/dL; 95% CI: - 22.60, - 12.22; P < 0.001), TC (WMD: - 19.60 mg/dL; 95% CI: - 28.46, - 10.73, P < 0.001), LDL-C (WMD = - 8.80 mg/dL; 95% CI: - 14.80, - 2.81; P = 0.004), and BMI (WMD = - 0.53 kg/m2; 95% CI: - 1.05, - 0.01; P = 0.046) but not BW (WMD: - 0.51 kg, 95 % CI: - 1.99, 0.97, P = 0.498). Moreover, zinc supplementation increased HDL-C (WMD = 4.82 mg/dL; 95% CI: 0.88, 8.76; P = 0.016) in patients with T2DM. Our results propose that zinc supplementation may be an effective strategy for improving lipid profile and body composition in patients with T2DM.
-
4.
Effects of chromium supplementation on body composition in patients with type 2 diabetes: A dose-response systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Vajdi, M, Khajeh, M, Safaei, E, Moeinolsadat, S, Mousavi, S, Seyedhosseini-Ghaheh, H, Abbasalizad-Farhangi, M, Askari, G
Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS). 2024;:127338
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated the beneficial effects of chromium supplementation in managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The current systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the associations between chromium supplementation and body composition in patients with T2DM. METHODS To achieve this, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that reported the effects of chromium supplementation on body composition such as body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), fat mass (FM), and waist circumference (WC) in patients with T2DM from inception until July 2023. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a fixed-effects model. RESULTS The meta-analysis included a total of 14 RCTs. The results showed that chromium supplementation did not have any significant effect on FM (WMD = -0.43%; 95% CI -0.94, 0.09), BMI (WMD: 0.09 kg/M2, 95% CI: -0.03, 0.20), WC (WMD: -0.47 cm, 95% CI: -1.10, 0.16), and BW (WMD: -0.26 kg, 95% CI: -0.69, 0.16). However, subgroup analysis revealed that chromium intake decreased FM in subjects aged ≥ 55 years and when chromium picolinate was used as an intervention. Additionally, there was a non-linear association between the dose of chromium supplementation and BW. CONCLUSIONS The meta-analysis suggests that chromium supplementation does not significantly reduce BW, BMI, WC, and FM in patients with T2DM. Further RCTs with large-scale are required to determine the possible anti-obesity effects of chromium in patients with T2DM.
-
5.
The effects of L-carnitine supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress, and clinical outcomes in critically Ill patients with sepsis: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial.
Keshani, M, Alikiaii, B, Babaei, Z, Askari, G, Heidari, Z, Sharma, M, Bagherniya, M
Nutrition journal. 2024;(1):31
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sepsis, a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a host's dysregulated response to infection with an inflammatory process, becomes a real challenge for the healthcare systems. L-carnitine (LC) has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as in previous studies. Thus, we aimed to determine the effects of LC on inflammation, oxidative stress, and clinical parameters in critically ill septic patients. METHODS A randomized double-blinded controlled trial was conducted. A total of 60 patients were randomized to receive LC (3 g/day, n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) for 7 days. Inflammatory and oxidative stress parameters (C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), 28-day mortality rate, and some monitoring variables were evaluated. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference between study arms in baseline characteristics and disease severity scores. CRP (p < 0.001) and ESR (p: 0.004) significantly reduced, and SOD (p < 0.001) and TAC (p < 0.001) significantly improved in the LC group after 7 days. Between-group analysis revealed a significant reduction in CRP (p: 0.001) and serum chloride (p: 0.032), an increase in serum albumin (p: 0.036) and platelet (p: 0.004) significantly, and an increase in SOD marginally (p: 0.073). The 28-day mortality rate was also lower in the LC group compared with placebo (7 persons vs. 15 persons) significantly (odds ratio: 0.233, p: 0.010). CONCLUSIONS L-carnitine ameliorated inflammation, enhanced antioxidant defense, reduced mortality, and improved some clinical outcomes in critically ill patients with sepsis. TRIAL REGISTRATION IRCT20201129049534N1; May 2021.
-
6.
The effect of selenium supplementation on oxidative stress, clinical symptoms and mental health status in patients with migraine: a study protocol for a double-blinded randomized clinical trial.
Balali, A, Sadeghi, O, Anjom-Shoae, J, Rouhani, MH, Khorvash, F, Askari, G
Trials. 2024;(1):209
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite a number of recommended strategies, effective treatment of migraine remains elusive. Given the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of migraine, selenium, as an antioxidant nutrient, may have a beneficial effect on migraine outcomes. However, no study has explored the effects of selenium supplementation on migraine symptoms, oxidative stress biomarkers, and mental health. Therefore, this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial aims to examine the effects of selenium supplementation among migraine patients. METHODS Seventy-two migraine patients will receive either 200 µg/day selenium supplement (n = 36) or placebo (n = 36) for 12 weeks in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. The severity, frequency, and duration of headaches, mental health indices including depression, anxiety, and distress, and quality of life, as well as biomarkers of oxidative stress such as nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and total oxidant status (TOS), will be measured at the baseline and end of the study. The intention-to-treat (ITT) approach will be used to estimate missing values. One-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) will be performed to detect the effect of selenium supplementation on outcome variables. DISCUSSION Oxidative stress is recognized as a key contributor to migraine pathogenesis. Selenium is an essential trace element with antioxidant properties, capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB), holding promise to alleviate the oxidative stress and neurotoxicity. Thus, selenium may beneficially affect clinical symptoms and oxidative stress as well as the quality of life in migraine patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION This trial was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials ( https://www.irct.ir/ ) on 27 May 2023 with the code number IRCT20121216011763N60.
-
7.
Effects of therapeutic lifestyle change diets on blood lipids, lipoproteins, glycemic parameters, and blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.
Keshani, M, Feizi, A, Askari, G, Sharma, M, Bagherniya, M
Nutrition reviews. 2024;(2):176-192
Abstract
CONTEXT Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Low-calorie, low-fat therapeutic diets (TDs) developed by the US National Cholesterol Education Program, ie, the Step I and II diets and the therapeutic lifestyle changes diet, are approximately similar and are the initial therapeutic interventional approaches for lifestyle modification. OBJECTIVE This systematic review with meta-analysis was undertaken to evaluate the effects of TDs diet on blood lipids, apolipoprotein A-1, apolipoprotein B, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and insulin. DATA SOURCES A comprehensive search of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases until October 2022 was performed to identify clinical trials investigating the effects of TDs on the aforementioned parameters. DATA EXTRACTION One investigator screened the records and extracted data, and another reviewed the extracted data. DATA ANALYSIS A total of 910 records were retrieved. After records were screened for eligibility, 34 clinical trials met the inclusion criteria. The pooled analysis from the random-effects model revealed a significant reduction in total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-1, and apolipoprotein B in the TD intervention group vs the control group. The overall effects of TDs on fasting blood glucose, insulin, and blood pressure were not significant, but the results of subgroup analysis revealed a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose with the Step II diet and an intervention duration of more than 24 weeks. For blood pressure, the Step I diet and an intervention duration of more than 24 weeks resulted in significant reduction. There was no evidence of publication bias, but strong heterogeneity was observed. CONCLUSION Therapeutic diets have promising effects on lipid profile parameters, glycemic indexes, and blood pressure, which can promote cardiovascular health. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION PROSPERO registration no. CRD42021259355.
-
8.
What is the influence of policosanol supplementation on liver enzymes? A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Gholamrezayi, A, Amini, MR, Rasaei, N, Akhgarjand, C, Kalantar, Z, Askari, G, Hekmatdoost, A
Complementary therapies in medicine. 2024;:103018
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Policosanol is a mixture of long chain alcohols refined from sugar cane. Significant reductions in liver enzymes have been observed in some studies. However, the impact of policosanol on liver enzymes remained controversial. The current meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effect of policosanol supplementation on the levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST). METHODS The literature was systematically searched for studies published up to November 2023 in PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and Scopus. Randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies were included to evaluate the intervention effect of policosanol compared to placebo on ALT and AST. DerSimonian and Laird models were used to calculate effect sizes. RESULTS Twenty-three trials including 2535 participants were included in the study. The combination of effect sizes, regarding the random-effects model, demonstrated significant changes in ALT serum levels after intervention (WMD: -1.48 U/L; 95% CI: -2.33 to -0.64; P = 0.001), and AST (WMD: -1.10 U/L; 95% CI: -1.70 to -0.51; P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis of AST and ALT showed that this reduction effect was most often observed at the dose of 20 mg/d. The dose-response analysis represented a non-significant non-linear connection between the dosage and duration of policosanol intervention in ALT and AST serum reduction. CONCLUSION Policosanol supplementation exerts a beneficial effect on liver enzymes as well as ALT and AST concentrations in adults. However, further long-term and well-designed RCTs with better quality are needed to further assess and confirm these results.
-
9.
The effect of nigella supplementation on blood pressure: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.
Golpour-Hamedani, S, Hadi, A, SafariMalekabadi, D, Najafgholizadeh, A, Askari, G, Pourmasoumi, M
Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. 2024;(4):943-956
Abstract
This study was performed to assess the effect of nigella supplementation on blood pressure levels among the adult population. A comprehensive search was carried out through PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library by using relevant keywords to find out the randomized clinical trials evaluating the effect of nigella administration on systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). A random-effect model was applied to achieve the overall effect size. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were used to explore the source of heterogeneity and the effects of the possible moderators. Of the twenty-two trials that were eligible for the present study, seventeen studies consisting of 1048 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The results indicated that nigella administration could significantly reduce both SBP (-4.58 mmHg; 95%CI: -6.22, -2.94) and DBP (-3.08 mmHg; 95%CI: -4.62, -1.55). Subgroup analysis did not show any superiority between subgroups of variables. Dose-response analysis detected a nonlinear association between dose and duration of administration and change in blood pressure outcomes, highlighting that maximum SBP and DBP reduction was experienced at 2000 mg/day and 8 weeks of nigella administration, respectively. The present study suggests that nigella supplementation can be beneficial for managing blood pressure.
-
10.
Effects of Chromium Supplementation on Lipid Profile: an Umbrella of Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Vajdi, M, Musazadeh, V, Karimi, A, Heidari, H, Tarrahi, MJ, Askari, G
Biological trace element research. 2023;(8):3658-3669
Abstract
Dyslipidemia is one of the most well-established modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) development. Several meta-analyses have revealed the improving effects of chromium on dyslipidemia, while some studies have reported controversial results. This study aimed to summarize meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the effects of chromium supplementation on lipid profiles in adults. The literature search was conducted using Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Library, and PubMed databases with appropriate keywords from the beginning to May 2022. Based on the pooled analysis results, a random-effects model was used to determine the effects of chromium on blood lipid levels. Heterogeneity, publication bias, and sensitivity analysis were also evaluated using standard methods. A total of eight meta-analyses were included in this study. The pooled analysis of eight meta-analyses did not find any significant effect of chromium supplementation on triglycerides (TG) (ES = - 0.20 mg/dl; 95% CI: - 0.50, 0.10, p = 0.185), total cholesterol (TC) (ES = - 0.14 mg/dl, 95% CI: - 0.43, 0.16; p = 0.369), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) (ES = - 0.08 mg/dl; 95% CI: - 0.19, 0.03; p = 0.142), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (ES: 0.05 mg/dl, 95% CI: - 0.05, 0.14, p = 0.312). However, subgroup analysis by the intervention dose suggested that chromium supplementation in doses higher than 500 µg/day could significantly decrease TG. The available evidence proposes no beneficial effects of chromium intervention on blood lipids. As a result, it cannot be used as a single therapy to treat adults with lipid abnormalities.